Storage Area Networking - Sun Microsystems StorEdge3000 Series Manual

The actual number of servers that can be connected varies according to the number
of controllers in the array. It also depends on the number of Fibre Channel
connections used for each server and the total number of small form-factor
pluggable (SFP) interface modules installed. DAS configurations often include single
or dual servers only, though a dual-controller array can support up to:
Sun StorEdge 3510 FC Array. Four servers with redundant connections, or eight
I
servers in non-redundant DAS configurations.
Sun StorEdge 3511 SATA Array. Six servers with redundant connections, or 12
I
servers in non-redundant DAS configurations.
Note – The Sun StorEdge 3511 SATA array cannot be used to store single instances
of data but can be used in multi-path and multi-host configurations where the array
has a backup or archival role.
Additional SFP modules are required to support more than two servers with
redundant connections or four servers in non-redundant configurations.
Note – Except in some clustering configurations, in a DAS Loop configuration when
you connect two hosts to channel 0 (both FC0 ports of either controller), or channel 1
(both FC1 ports of either controller) on a Sun StorEdge 3511 SATA array, you must
use host filtering if you want to control host access to storage. Refer to the user
documentation for your clustering software to determine whether the clustering
software can manage host access in this configuration.

Storage Area Networking

Combining storage switches with a Sun StorEdge 3500 series array configuration
creates a SAN, increasing the number of servers that can be connected. Essentially,
the maximum number of servers that can be connected to the SAN becomes equal to
the number of available storage switch ports. Storage switches generally include the
ability to manage and monitor the Fibre Channel networks they create, which can
reduce storage management workloads in multiple server environments.
Sun StorEdge 3500 series arrays are designed to be deployed in SANs based on
switched Fibre Channel fabrics. In a SAN scenario, the server HBAs are connected to
one side of the fabric and storage is connected to the other. A SAN fabric
automatically routes Fibre Channel packets between ports on one or many Fibre
Channel switches.
SAN deployment enables Sun StorEdge 3500 series arrays to be used by a larger
number of hosts. This storage strategy tends to utilize storage resources more
effectively and is commonly referred to as storage consolidation.
Best Practices for the Sun StorEdge 3510 and 3511 FC Arrays 13